AT&T Releases Annual Valentine's Wireless Courtesy and Dating Survey

DO U LIKE ME? TXT 1, 4 YES; 2, 4 NO

If you can decipher that message, you may have a better chance for romance this Valentine's Day. According to AT&T's new survey, short, to the point, and sometimes discreet love notes aren't just for candy hearts anymore. Now they're sweetening up wireless text messaging between cell phones. Thirty-three percent of people surveyed say they communicate with their date or mate via text messaging in 2007, an increase of six percentage points from last year. Twenty-eight percent of users also report using text messaging to flirt. Looks like Cupid has tapped into the text messaging craze.

For the fourth year, Cingular Wireless, part of the new AT&T, has commissioned a survey of adult cell phone users to determine how cell phones have affected their romantic lives. The survey was conducted in January 2007 by ICR (International Communications Research) among 1,006 wireless users and reveals that SMS and MMS-based communication between partners is on the rise.

"Text messaging has become part of the social fabric of dating in America," said Jennifer Bowcock, director of consumer public relations for Cingular Wireless, the new AT&T. "People can text one another to make plans or even say 'I love you' when they may not have the time or ability to make a voice call. It is definitely a discreet and simple way to stay connected."

Also significant in the survey results, 59 percent of active daters use text messaging to communicate with their dates, while only 30 percent of those who are married, in a committed relationship or not dating do the same with their partners.

Need a little help bringing the romance? AT&T has some suggestions to help you out this Valentine's Day:

• Text messages allow you to let your loved one know you are thinking about them, even if you're at work or a public place where a voice call isn't appropriate. Say I LOVE U or HEY CU T whenever the mood strikes.
• Consider using your camera phone to snap a picture of a vase of fresh flowers or a hand-made heart drawn on paper and then use multimedia messaging to send the romantic image to your sweetheart. If you want to add a little heat to the fire, tap out a love note to include with the photo using text messaging. That's sure to make even Cupid smile.
• Ready to take your love to the next level? Show your favorite guy or girl that you've set their picture as your phone screen's background.
• If you are expecting a call during a date, let your date know in advance that you might have to take it, that way he or she won't take you out with the trash.
• Lastly, always be sensible and remember that a dinner or movie date is no place for a ringing phone if you want to live happily ever after.

If you need a little more help, check out the AT&T press release for details on how to bring a little more heart to your cell phone use this month.

Blockbuster Offers Valentine's Day Entertainment Advice

Confused about what movies to rent for a romantic night at home this Feb. 14? According to Blockbuster, when it comes to Valentine's Day, you should skip the movies from Mars and films from Venus and go for Cupid's middle ground. To help you make the right choices, Blockbuster is offering Cupid's Picks for Valentine's Movies, featuring romantic films that both men and women name as favorites.

Romantic movies aren't just for women, as a recent survey by Blockbuster Inc. shows. Ninety-eight percent of those surveyed indicated they watch romantic films, including 99 percent of women and 96 percent of men, showing the sexes have more common ground on watching love stories than many think.

Men and women do differ on how often they watch romantic movies. More than half of women watch them frequently compared to just 19 percent of men. Most men—close to 60 percent—prefer to watch romances just once in a while.

But, there is a surprising amount of room for compromise if you are looking for a good Valentine's date movie. Romantic comedies are a safe bet, with 86 percent of men watching them and 92 percent of women, and any great film with a romantic storyline rating high with both sexes. Perhaps the most unexpected discovery in the Blockbuster survey is that close to a third of men said they like a story that's worth a good cry. Fourteen percent of men said they'll watch any love story and that they're a romantic at heart.

To help the lovestruck find a good date movie for Valentine's, Blockbuster asked men and women about their favorite romantic movies and identified a handful of movies that emerged as top choices among both sexes.

Cupid's Picks for Valentine's Movies

• Braveheart
• Ghost
• Pretty Woman
• Sleepless in Seattle
• Titanic
• When Harry Met Sally

For the date who's truly dedicated to making Valentine's special for his or her sweetheart, Blockbuster also released separate lists of men's and women's favorite romantic films.

Men wooing their women should pick up The Notebook, starring Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling in a tale of love that triumphs over divisions of class, time and distance. More than a quarter of women name the film as their personal favorite romantic movie. Other women's favorites include Bridget Jones' Diary, The Wedding Singer and Serendipity.

Women, on the other hand, might want to stage a screening of Casablanca, Good Will Hunting, What Women Want, Jerry Maguire or Mr. & Mrs. Smith for the men in their lives. All were named as top romantic favorites by men in the Blockbuster survey.

Read more about these Valentine's Day suggestions in the Blockbuster press release.

AT&T Homezone Named Product of the Year Award of the Year

AT&T recently announced that Frost & Sullivan selected AT&T Homezone(SM) service as the 2007 North American Consumer Communication Services Product of the Year.

The Frost & Sullivan Award for Product of the Year recognizes the company that has demonstrated excellence in new products and technologies within its industry. In selecting AT&T for this award, Frost & Sullivan noted, "AT&T has incorporated a coherent product strategy to retain its competitive position in the consumer services space and to provide customers with an integrated home-entertainment experience."

"AT&T's Homezone services builds on the company's reputation as a reliable network provider and a consumer services innovator," said Jeff Weber, vice president, AT&T Product and Strategy. "This award from Frost & Sullivan recognizes the original thinking and careful planning that went into bringing this service to market and that our mission to connect with customers via the three screens they value most—the TV, the PC and the wireless phone—is working."

With AT&T Homezone services, the company became the first national telecommunications provider to offer seamlessly integrated video content and TV entertainment to the "digital living room," through both broadband and traditional satellite networks via a single set-top device.

AT&T Homezone integrates AT&T Yahoo!(R) High-Speed Internet, AT&T | DISH Network satellite television and AT&T Home Networking services. It features digital videorecording, movies on demand, photo and music sharing, storage for both, and remote Web-based access to the system. It will soon also include remote access to the system through wireless devices. The service is available across most of the company's traditional broadband footprint.

"With its Homezone service, AT&T has demonstrated a commitment to delivering consistent growth in the future as it has in the past," said Piyush Arora, Frost & Sullivan analyst. "This service builds on AT&T's existing infrastructure and video delivery strategy to combine satellite TV programming with new levels of integration and on-demand content via broadband. It's a real homerun for consumers and AT&T."

For more information, check out the AT&T press release.

XM Announces Honda Used Car Program

XM and American Honda Motor Co. Inc. recently launched a satellite radio trial program for Honda Certified Used Cars with factory-installed XM Satellite Radio.

Under this new program, all certified pre-owned Honda models equipped with XM Satellite Radio will be available with three months of complimentary XM service and a waived activation fee. Honda models equipped with XM include the Accord, Accord Hybrid, Civic, Civic Hybrid, CR-V, Element, Odyssey, Pilot, and Ridgeline.

XM and Acura recently announced a similar program that introduces XM to customers who purchase an Acura Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle equipped with XM Satellite Radio. Combined with the Acura program, XM's partnership with American Honda Certified Programs will make XM available in more than 35,000 of these certified vehicles in 2007, and grow to more than 55,000 vehicles in 2008. The XM marketing program for certified pre-owned vehicles will continue to expand with the increasing availability of factory-installed XM Satellite Radio across both vehicle model lineups.

"XM's program for previously owned Honda models introduces XM to a new and growing category of car buyers, as more Honda vehicles are equipped with XM each year," said Marisa Uchin, Manager of Remarketing, Automotive, XM. "Honda Certified Used Car buyers can now conveniently experience XM's 170 plus channels of music, talk, sports and entertainment."

"Honda customers have increasingly come to expect the availability of XM satellite radio in their vehicles," said Dan Crowe, Automobile Remarketing Manager for Honda. "This program offers Honda Certified Used Car customers added value, and further differentiates certified used cars from run-of-the- mill used cars."

For more information on the program, see the press release XM and Honda Launch Satellite Radio Program for Honda Certified Used Cars.

Verizon Goes Long Distance In India

Verizon is expanding its global reach through a new business unit called Verizon Business India. According to an article in today's Wall Street Journal, Verizon is filing for a long distance license in India that will make it a more powerful competitor, along with rival AT&T, in offering telecommunications and high-speed Internet services to multinational companies doing business in South Asia.

India's economy is growing at an astounding pace. With more educated English speakers than the entire U.S. population, Indian citizens enjoy a better than usual advantage in global trade. It's not just about outsourcing U.S. call center operations or off-shoring computer code writers: it's about India moving onto the world stage as both a marketplace and an economic power. With an economy that's already larger than Japan's, India's phone is about to start ringing.

EarthLink Upgrades Protection Control Center with Attack Shield

Continuing in its commitment to provide consumers with a safe Internet experience, EarthLink has added "zero-day protection" in the fight against spyware, Trojans, keyloggers and other threats with its upgraded Protection Control Center with Attack Shield.

Traditional antivirus solutions take a reactive approach to detecting and eliminating new viruses: they wait for an attack to infect a computer before arming consumers with updates that protect them from the latest threats. However, EarthLink's "Attack Shield" technology is proactive: by utilizing Sana Security's award-winning multi-behavioral security engine, the application is able to monitor in real-time the consumer's PC to detect potential behaviors to determine if an installed program is malicious and remove it without requiring definition updates.

Why Upgrade to the Protection Control Center with Attack Shield?
Online security has typically required an Internet user to manage each protection application individually on a desktop or laptop computer - a time consuming and frustrating process. According to EarthLink, it's Protection Control Center and Sana's anti-malware behavior technology will give consumers a single, easy-to-use consumer interface that simplifies the task of securing a computer against online threats and nuisances that can compromise personal identity and data.

In addition to the Attack Shield upgrade, the Protection Control Center 2.0 also includes the following enhancements:

• Improved active defense technology that detects more spyware and viruses before they can get onto a consumer's PC
• Better system performance
• Enhanced user interface
• Firewall lockdown that allows consumers to shut down all Internet traffic with one click if they think their computer is under attack
• Enhanced Firewall
• LAN Detection that allows consumers to set up trusted networks to which they connect to most

More on Viruses & Malware
According to the Anti-Spyware Coalition, a computer virus is code that recursively replicates a possibly evolved copy of itself. Viruses infect a host file or system area, or they simply modify a reference to such objects to take control and then multiply again to form new generations. Definitions for spyware, Trojans and other forms of malware can be found at http://www.antispywarecoalition.org/documents/glossary.htm. For more information on the Protection Control Center with Attack Shield or to sign up, visit http://www.earthlink.net/software/pcc/. For EarthLink's Podcast about the Protection Control Center with Attack Shield, please go to: http://www.earthlink.net/about/.

XM Radio Online Available With Windows Vista

XM recently announced that XM Radio Online will be included in Microsoft's new operating system, Windows Vista.

Released to the public at the end of January, Windows Vista will offer XM Radio Online as part of its digital music hub. XM Radio Online delivers more than 80 radio channels, including commercial-free music, the Oprah & Friends talk and lifestyle channel, "The Bob Edwards Show," "Opie & Anthony," stand-up comedy, and children's programming.

Web users can sign up for a free, three-day trial of XM Radio Online. Unlimited listening is available for $7.99 a month. Those who subscribe to XM Satellite Radio for the car, home, or portable listening can enjoy XM Radio Online for no additional charge.

"XM is pleased to be extending its strategic relationship with Microsoft with the inclusion of XM Radio Online in Windows Vista," said My-Chau Nguyen, XM senior vice president for marketing programs and operations. "By working with Microsoft, we are expanding the availability of XM Radio Online, which provides an extraordinary variety of music choices, talk radio options, and exclusive programming such as 'Oprah & Friends.' The integration of XM Radio Online further enhances the music and entertainment experience offered by Windows Vista."

"Microsoft is pleased to be working closely with XM," said Mike Sievert, corporate vice president, Windows at Microsoft Corp. "We are thrilled with XM's support and excitement for the launch of Windows Vista and the 2007 Office system."

For more information, check out the XM Satellite Radio press release.

A&E on U-verse

AT&T Inc. and A&E Television Networks today announced a comprehensive multiyear distribution agreement to deliver AETN linear, High Definition (HD) and on-demand programming as part of the AT&T U-verse^SM TV channel lineup.

Under the agreement, AT&T will deliver the following AETN brands to AT&T U-verse customers: A&E Network, The History Channel, The History Channel En Español, The Biography Channel, History International, Crime & Investigation Network and The Military History Channel. AT&T U-verse will also carry A&E Network in HD. The AT&T U-verse video-on-demand (VOD) library will also feature several hours of AETN VOD popular programming each month, including "Dog The Bounty Hunter" and "Intervention" from A&E and "Digging for the Truth" and "Dogfights" from The History Channel.

"AT&T is thrilled to bring AETN's exceptional entertainment and educational programming to our U-verse channel lineup," said Dan York, head of programming, AT&T Operations, Inc. "Customers will experience history and connect with the some of the world's most fascinating people through AETN's compelling programming."

"AETN is pleased to deliver its entire portfolio of high-quality programming over AT&T's advanced video platform," said David Zagin, executive vice president, distribution, AETN. "By adding our innovative and widely viewed networks, including HD and VOD, AT&T is giving its U-verse customers access to some of today's most desirable content."

You can read more in this AT&T press release.

DISH Network Takes Flight with Virgin America

Start-up airline Virgin America recently announced that EchoStar Communications Corporation will be the airline's primary live in-flight satellite entertainment partner. Pending government approval, the airline hopes to introduce domestic U.S. service in Spring 2007.

The agreement will provide Virgin America's guests with an variety of EchoStar's DISH Network satellite TV programming. In addition to live DISH Network satellite TV, the airline will offer customers 'pay-per-view' movies, audio music entertainment that includes the ability to compile individual audio playlists, a selection of popular electronic games, and even meals on-demand.

"Once the Department of Transportation says we can fly, we'll be ready to offer our guests an incredible entertainment experience and DISH Network is a major component of that," said Charles Ogilvie, Virgin America's Director of Inflight Entertainment & Partnerships. "Our interactive entertainment system is more than just a channel line-up in which our guests will immerse themselves. We believe they'll find it to be an exciting, customer-friendly experience overall."

"We are delighted to be part of this innovative airborne entertainment offering," said Charlie Ergen, Chairman and CEO of EchoStar's DISH Network. "DISH Network is focused on securing and delivering exciting, timely and appealing content to Virgin America guests as well as our 13 million-plus subscribers throughout the United States."

For more information on the new partnership, check out the press release Virgin America to Offer EchoStar's DISH Network at Every Seat on Every Flight.

Verizon Raises Speed of Its All-Fiber FiOS Internet Service in More States

Verizon announced at the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that FiOS Internet customers in five states will be experiencing online connection speeds of up to 50 Mbps (megabits per second) downstream and 5 Mbps upstream, as the company continues to raise the speed of its super-high-speed, all-fiber Internet service.

Massachusetts and Rhode Island recently joined New York, Connecticut and New Jersey as states where Verizon has increased the maximum connection speed of both its mid-tier and top-tier FiOS Internet services.

The mid-tier maximum connection speed in those markets was increased from 15 Mbps downstream and 2 Mbps upstream to 20/5 Mbps, and the top-tier service was increased from 30/5 Mbps to 50/5 Mbps. The company plans similar FiOS Internet speed increases this year in some of the 11 other states where the service is available. Verizon says that specifics will be announced at a later date.

"Today's digital family relies on an increasing number of consumer electronics for their communication, their entertainment and their overall productivity," said Brian Whitton, executive director of access network design and integration for Verizon Telecom. "Digital cameras, high-def TV, remote-monitored home security, wireless networks, online multiplayer gaming systems, telecommuting connections, MP3 players, multiple PCs and more are increasingly commonplace at home. Broadband is the powerful thread that optimizes these devices and ties them all together."

Verizon is currently the only major U.S. telecommunications company building an advanced, all-digital, fiber-optic network on a mass scale all the way to customers' homes. Verizon is the first and only major telecommunications company to be certified by the independent Fiber to the Home Council as providing customers with 100 percent fiber-optic service, the ultimate communications and entertainment technology.

The company says that more than 6 million homes and businesses in parts of 16 states are now passed by Verizon's all-fiber network, and Verizon expects its new network to pass about 18 million premises by the end of 2010.

Verizon offers FiOS Internet service in more than 1,600 communities across parts of all 16 states where the company's new network is deployed: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia and Washington. The company currently offers FiOS TV service in parts of ten states: California, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.

To see if Verizon FiOS Internet service is available in your home, visit the Verizon page and enter your address.